Players

Cat started playing music age 7 on trumpet at South East Derbyshire Music Centre under Kevin Holdgate, and earned grade 8 distinction aged 13. She then went on to study at the Junior Birmingham Conservatoire under Alan Thomas, and attained her ATCL & LTCL Trumpet diplomas by the age of 18. Locally, she won the Derby Rotary young musician of the year award in 2008, and was Derby Arts Brass Open Champion 3 times with distinction.

She studied at The Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) under Murray Grieg and immersed herself into various styles of music and ensemble to gain experience in all types of playing. These included the RNCM Symphony Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra, Opera Orchestra, Wind Orchestra, Big Band, Session Orchestra and Brass Band. She graduated with a Bmus Honors Degree in July 2017.

During her degree, she travelled to the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo, studying with Jonas Haltia, Tine Thing Helseth, and Anthony Plog and competed in the National Championships in Trondheim with 'Vestre Aker Musikkorps’.  Other global travels with different ensembles have seen her perform in Belgium, France, Italy, Switzerland (with The National Youth Wind band of Great Britain), Japan (with the Derbyshire City and County Youth Wind Band) and the USA (Atlanta and New York with HotHouse Screaming Kicks Bigband.)

As well as playing Flugel with Derwent, she is a member of the ‘Derventio Brass Ensemble’ on trumpet, and enjoys playing in other ensembles such as Big Bands, musical theatre pit bands, and Classical Orchestras across the East Midlands.

Graham is the son of the late Eric Johnson (former solo euphonium and President of Derwent Brass) so it goes without saying that he has grown up totally immersed in brass music. Over the years he has played for the Newhall Band, Ibstock Building Products, Gresley Old Hall, the Ind Coope Burton Brewery Brass and Sovereign Brass before joining Derwent Brass. Originally a cornet, trumpet and flugel player, Graham moved onto Solo Horn in Derwent Brass during 2005.

There have been too many experiences and events that Graham has enjoyed to list, but one or two particular highlights include winning the 2nd section national finals in London (1991) and going on to win the Championship section of the Midlands Area contest. He also took part in the National Finals in the Royal Albert Hall in 1992.

Steve is no stranger to brass banding and is well known as a player especially in the Midlands area. Steve has been a member of a number of bands including the well known Ransome Brass Band (where he enjoyed a very successful period as Band Manager), the Carlton Main Frickley Band and the Newstead Brass Band.

As an accomplished player he has performed at all the major brass band competitions in the UK, including some notable podium finishes. Steve has also helped out several bands and ensembles at all levels, including the famous Black Dyke band and numerous international tours with the well known Desford Colliery band.

As many brass musicians do Conor began his playing career on the Bb Cornet at high school (in Strabane, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland) and was grateful for the tutorage of Terry Doherty and the late Harry Gault.

His first contesting experience was with his school band from St. Colman's who entered and won the 4th section Northern Ireland Championships aged just 13. He continued playing Cornet with Strabane Concert Brass before moving onto Tenor Horn, again winning the Northern Ireland Championships and playing at the European Brass Band Championships aged 16. He also reguarly played Trumpet with the Western Board Youth Orchestra.

Conor headed over to West Yorkshire for his higher education where he studied under the famous Philip McCann at Huddersfield University. He played Solo Horn with the Jayess 87 band, before later moving onto the Hade Edge Band. He then took a break from banding and went on to travel and teach overseas, before returning back to the UK as a secondary school music teacher.

Conor returned to Derwent Brass in 2022 as a full time member of the Tenor Horn section.